Pssst! Scroll down to the bottom of this post if you would rather listen to it in audio format!

If you missed my last post it was all about using meditation to create new habits.

I am making a serious effort to meditate more and am encouraging my clients to do the same. The benefits have been scientifically proven and can be felt almost immediately. The real question is why not meditation?!

In this post, however, I am going to be talking about a different practice. This post is all about something I am calling "creative visualization."

Meditation and creative visualization are somewhat similar but definitely still different. My recommendation would be to incorporate both of them into your life!

Did you know... the brain can not tell the difference between something real and something imagined? Science has proven this through numerous studies.

One study involved a group of runners. One group of runners actually ran. The other group imagined running. In both groups, the same areas of the brain lit up with 'activity.'

The power of our subconscious mind is so much greater than most of us realize.

So, what can we do with this information? How can we use it to help us in our personal and professional lives?

Cue: Creative Visualization.

Creative visualization allows us to use the power of our subconscious mind to create more of what we want.

If the brain truly cannot differentiate between something real and something imagined, we can use our minds to help us create any result we desire.

This is where those cheesy sayings like 'if you can believe it, you can achieve it' come in.

Because it's the real deal.

By spending even three to five minutes 'inside our minds' visualizing the results we want, we can become who we wish to become.

At the very core -- my coaching and training work is about creating change. If my clients don't have a problem they want to change, then I don't have a client.

And, along the same idea of embracing change-- is the idea of creating new habits (and/or breaking old ones).

Creating change and creating new habits goes hand in hand.

Did you know you should not just STOP a 'bad' habit, but instead you should replace it with something 'better?'

For instance.... someone who is trying to stop smoking might switch over to chewing gum. And someone who wants to stop drinking so much coffee might switch over to tea.

Swapping habits works better than just stopping the 'bad' habit.

But, as we both already know... change is rarely simple or easy. Even with 'the swap trick.'

If we want to create lasting change, we have to change the way we think, which changes the way we feel, which changes the way we act.

The above 'equation' is the only way to create lasting change.

So how do we create space for this kind of change?

To think, feel, and act in a new direction requires our precious attention and energy.

Throughout my research, I've found the most effective way to embrace a big change is to utilize the power of meditation.

Meditation means something different to everyone, but in essence it's role is to calm the mind.

Why calm the mind? Well, if you haven't noticed, it can be a noisy place up there. Most of the noise is going to go against the change. The brain does not like change. The brain likes what's easy. Habits are easy because the brain has memorized how to act.

The great news? Despite the "fight" our brains put up, we can, indeed, change. Science has proven our brains have a 'plasticity' to them which means we can reshape and rewire them.

That means: you aren't simply who you are and how you are. You are, actually, who you choose to be.

I've really started to incorporate meditation into my life and into my teachings because of how effective it is. Meditation allows us to become intentional about who we want to be.

I usually prefer guided meditations (as opposed to 'just silence.'). But try it all out. See what's best for you

If you're not familiar, a guided meditation is simply a recording which walks you through the process of calming the mind.

If you're ready to create some sort of change in your life, consider trying meditation. Even as a little as 5 minutes a day can have massive effects.

I would love to hear how it goes!

-Sylvia

PS- Want to learn more about how I can help YOU create change? Get in touch below for a free strategy session! I work with individuals and Kansas City business teams who are looking to invest in their people.